Megan

♀ Girl

Pronounced MEG-un /ˈmɛɡ.ən/High

Meaning: Welsh diminutive of Margaret, from Latin Margarita and Greek Margarites meaning pearl; the Welsh pet form Megan has been used as a standalone given name since at least the 19th centuryHigh

In 30 seconds: Megan is a Welsh diminutive of Margaret, ultimately from the Greek word for pearl, that became a widespread English-speaking given name in the 20th century and remains one of the most recognised Welsh contributions to the international naming pool.

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Origin HighWelsh, Greek

MeaningWelsh diminutive of Margaret, from Latin Margarita and Greek Margarites meaning pearl; the Welsh pet form Megan has been used as a standalone given name since at least the 19th century

U.S. rank (2025)#889 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births301 girls (0.02% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1990

Total births (all-time)≈ 440,066

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Megan is the Welsh diminutive of Margaret. Margaret derives from Latin Margarita and Greek Margarites, meaning pearl, a word the Greeks borrowed from Persian. Margaret has been one of the most common women's names in Europe since the Middle Ages, honoring several saints including Saint Margaret of Antioch and Saint Margaret of Scotland. In Wales, the pet form Megan developed as a local diminutive and was used within Wales for centuries before gaining wider currency.

Megan spread beyond Wales in the 20th century, becoming popular in England, the United States, Canada, and Australia from the 1960s through the 1990s. It entered the U.S. top 10 in the 1980s and remained a fashionable name through the 1990s, becoming closely associated with the millennial generation. The name has since fallen from peak charts but retains warm familiarity. Alternate spellings include Meghan — famously carried by Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex — which has given the name continued celebrity visibility.

Did you know? Megan is so thoroughly associated with Wales that it has become one of the defining names of Welsh identity in the English-speaking world — yet its root Margaret (Greek margarites, pearl) ultimately traces back to ancient Persia, where the word for pearl entered Greek.

Overall data confidence 95%

Behind the Name — Megan — etymology and Welsh origin

Variations

MeghanMeaganMeaghan

Nicknames

MegMeggie

Famous Bearers

★Megan Fox (1986–present)
American actress and model known for her roles in the Transformers film series and other Hollywood productions.

If you like Megan…

Morgan— Welsh-origin girls name with the same Celtic heritage and two-syllable structure

Rhiannon— Welsh feminine name sharing Megan's deep Celtic roots and musical quality

Paige— one- or two-syllable girls name that peaked alongside Megan in the 1980s-90s

Lauren— two-syllable girls name that shared the same generational peak popularity in the 1980s-90s

Frequently Asked

What does the name Megan mean?

Megan is the Welsh form of Margaret, which comes from Greek margarites meaning pearl.

How do you pronounce Megan?

It is said MEG-un — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Megan Welsh?

Yes, Megan is a Welsh diminutive of Margaret that became a standard given name used across the English-speaking world.

Is Megan the same as Meghan?

Megan and Meghan are two spellings of the same Welsh name; Meghan became more prominent globally through Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex.